Influence prospects with the art of suggestion

Part one of a two-part series

DO YOU possess the skill to get others to do something they don't normally do? The other night, after a long day of back-to-back coaching calls, John-Paul and I went to Buca di Beppo for dinner. I had grabbed a power bar toward the end of the day to stave off the blood-sugar jitters, whereas John-Paul hadn't eaten anything so as not to ruin his appetite.

Needless to say, he was starving. He couldn't wait to order some good old spaghetti and meatballs from this popular Italian restaurant.

Within minutes of arriving, we were seated at a table and our friendly waiter quickly arrived. You would have thought we were lifelong buddies from the greeting he gave us. All that this waiter had to do was "suggest" that we start off with a few mouth-watering appetizers and my husband was putty in his hands.

But what really got my attention was when our waiter suggested side dishes. Now, we never order side dishes at Buca di Beppo. Never. Yet, all our waiter had to do was suggest the mere possibility of ordering some of the favorites and my husband quickly turned his eyes to the delicious list of side dishes on the menu.

"What kind of side dishes do you have tonight?" John-Paul asked the waiter.

This is a salesperson's dream -- a starving client, asking you about what will his immediate need.

I had to practically wipe the drool off my husband's lips when our waiter shared this evening's special. Forget spaghetti and meatballs. John-Paul was ordering the special our waiter had just recommended.

Now, despite the fact that we've been heavily immersed in studying the laws of influence and persuasion for a book we're writing, everything this waiter so masterfully did to influence our decisions in ordering more food worked.

This is because the laws of influence, when properly applied, work just as naturally and predictably as the law of gravity itself.

From the famous "upsell" that McDonald's perfected, to the subtle art of suggesting better choices on the menu, this waiter (aka sales person) did a great job in making our dining experience a pleasant one.

If you tabulated the totals from this experienced waiter's clients at the end of the night and compared them to a less-experienced waiter who simply asked each patron what he or she wanted, I could guarantee that our waiter, who exercised the law of suggestion, would stand head and shoulders above the other waiter in total sales dollars.

NEXT WEEK I'll answer the question, "Can someone manipulate you to do something you wouldn't normally do otherwise?

John-Paul Micek is the lead business coach at RPM Success Group Inc. Reach him at JPM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.

Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach and life strategist. Reach her at DCM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.